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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1071
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 4971
Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION
AND ELECTIONS
Introduced by:
(GAE)
AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE
AUDITORS OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (g) of section 2-90 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 2
1, 2021): 3
(g) Each state agency shall keep its accounts in such form and by such 4
methods as to exhibit the facts required by said auditors and, the 5
provisions of any other general statute notwithstanding, shall make all 6
records and accounts available to them or their agents, upon demand. 7
Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, no state agency 8
may deny the auditors access to their records or accounts. 9
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) As used in this section, 10
"contract", "state agency", "data" and "contractor" have the same 11
meanings as provided in section 4e-1 of the general statutes. Any 12
contract between a state contracting agency and a contractor that is 13
entered into, renewed or amended on or after October 1, 2021, shall 14 Raised Bill No. 1071
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contain a provision authorizing the state contracting agency to access 15
any data concerning such agency that is in the possession or control of 16
the contractor upon demand in a format prescribed by the agency at no 17
additional cost to the agency. 18
Sec. 3. Subsection (c) of section 2-90 of the general statutes is repealed 19
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 20
(c) Said auditors shall audit, on a biennial basis if deemed most 21
economical and efficient, or as frequently as they deem necessary, the 22
books and accounts, records of operations and activities, systems and 23
data of each officer, department, commission, board and court of the 24
state government, all institutions supported by the state and all public 25
and quasi-public bodies, politic and corporate, created by public or 26
special act of the General Assembly and not required to be audited or 27
subject to reporting requirements, under the provisions of chapter 111. 28
Each such audit may include an examination of any relevant 29
information concerning the department, commission, board or court of 30
state government being audited that is in the possession or control of a 31
private entity that has a contract with such department, commission, 32
board or court, and such information shall be provided upon demand 33
in a format prescribed by the auditors at no cost to the auditors or the 34
department, commission, board or court. Each such audit may include 35
an examination of performance in order to determine effectiveness in 36
achieving expressed legislative purposes. The auditors shall report their 37
findings and recommendations to the Governor, the State Comptroller 38
and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 39
cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets of state 40
agencies. 41
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) On and after October 1, 2021, 42
any state agency proposing to enter into or amend a contract for the 43
purchase of auditing services shall (1) notify the Auditors of Public 44
Accounts of such contract at least fifteen days prior to entering into or 45
amending such contract, and (2) not enter into or amend such contract 46
until the Auditors of Public Accounts have advised the agency whether 47 Raised Bill No. 1071
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the auditing services could be provided by said auditors. As used in this 48
section, "state agency" has the same meaning as provided in section 4-49
37e of the general statutes and "contract" does not include any personal 50
service agreement subject to section 4-215 or 4-216 of the general 51
statutes. 52
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 10-91g of the general statutes is 53
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 54
1, 2021): 55
(a) As used in this section and sections 10-91h to 10-91l, inclusive, 56
"private provider of special education services" means any private 57
school or private agency or institution, including a group home, that 58
receives, directly or indirectly, any state or local funds as a result of 59
providing special education services to any student with an 60
individualized education program or for whom an individual services 61
plan has been written by the local or regional board of education 62
responsible for educating such student. 63
Sec. 6. Section 31-426 of the general statutes is repealed and the 64
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 65
(a) The Connecticut Retirement Security Authority shall keep an 66
accurate account of all its activities, receipts and expenditures and shall 67
submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, a report 68
detailing such activities, receipts and expenditures to the Connecticut 69
Retirement Security Authority board of directors, the Governor, the 70
Office of Auditors of Public Accounts and the joint standing committees 71
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to labor 72
and finance, revenue and bonding on or before December thirty-first 73
annually. Such report shall be in a form prescribed by the board and 74
shall include projected activities of the authority for the next fiscal year. 75
[and shall be subject to approval by the Auditors of Public Accounts.] 76
(b) The Auditors of Public Accounts may conduct a full audit of the 77
books and accounts of the authority pertaining to such activities, 78
receipts and expenditures, personnel, services or facilities, in accordance 79 Raised Bill No. 1071
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with the provisions of chapter 12 and section 2-90, as amended by this 80
act. For the purposes of such audit, the Auditors of Public Accounts shall 81
have access to the properties and records of the authority. [, and may 82
prescribe methods of accounting and the rendering of periodical reports 83
in relation to projects undertaken by the authority.] 84
(c) The authority shall enter into memoranda of understanding with 85
the State Comptroller pursuant to which the authority shall provide, in 86
such form and manner as prescribed by the State Comptroller, 87
information that may include, but need not be limited to, the current 88
revenues and expenses of the authority, the sources or recipients of such 89
revenues or expenses, the date such revenues or expenses were received 90
or dispersed and the amount and the category of such revenues or 91
expenses. The State Comptroller shall also enter into such memoranda 92
of understanding. 93
Sec. 7. Subsection (e) of section 4b-21 of the general statutes is 94
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 95
2021): 96
(e) After receiving notification from the secretary that such land, 97
improvement or interest may be treated as surplus, the Commissioner 98
of Administrative Services shall offer to convey such land, improvement 99
or interest to the municipality in which the land, improvement or 100
interest is located, including, but not limited to, by selling, leasing, 101
exchanging or entering into agreements concerning such land, 102
improvement or interest, provided (1) prior to such conveyance, the 103
municipality by vote of its legislative body accepts such conveyance, 104
and (2) a resolution of such municipal action, verified by the clerk of the 105
municipality, is delivered to the Commissioner of Administrative 106
Services not more than [one hundred twenty] sixty days after receiving 107
notice from the commissioner regarding the proposed conveyance. If 108
the municipality fails to deliver such resolution to the commissioner 109
within such [one-hundred-twenty-day] sixty-day period, the 110
municipality shall be deemed to have declined the proposed 111
conveyance, provided the commissioner may extend the [one-hundred-112 Raised Bill No. 1071
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twenty-day period] sixty-day deadline by not more than an additional 113
[sixty] thirty days. The municipality shall waive all rights to purchase 114
the land, improvement, interest or part thereof if the municipality 115
declines or is deemed to have declined the conveyance of such land, 116
improvement, interest or part thereof. 117
Sec. 8. Section 8-260 of the general statutes is repealed and the 118
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 119
Within the first ninety days of each calendar year, the authority shall 120
report on its operations for the preceding calendar year to the Governor. 121
The authority shall make a report to the General Assembly on or before 122
March fifteenth in each year that the General Assembly meets in general 123
session. The report shall include a summary of the activities of the 124
authority, a complete operating and financial statement and 125
recommendations for legislation to promote the purposes of the 126
authority. The accounts of the authority shall be subject to [annual] 127
biennial audits by the State Auditors of Public Accounts. 128
Sec. 9. Section 15-120kk of the general statutes is repealed and the 129
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 130
On or before December fifteenth each year, the authority shall report, 131
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the Governor and 132
the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 133
cognizance of matters relating to transportation and commerce. Such 134
report shall include a summary of the activities of the authority, a 135
complete operating and financial statement and recommendations for 136
legislation to promote the purposes of the authority. The accounts of the 137
authority shall be subject to [annual] biennial audits by the state 138
Auditors of Public Accounts. 139
Sec. 10. Section 32-42 of the general statutes is repealed and the 140
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 141
The corporation shall be subject to examination by the State 142
Treasurer. The accounts of the corporation shall be subject to [annual] 143 Raised Bill No. 1071
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biennial audits by the State Auditors of Public Accounts. 144
Sec. 11. Section 1-86e of the general statutes is repealed and the 145
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 146
(a) No person hired by the state as a consultant or independent 147
contractor, and no person employed by such consultant or independent 148
contractor, shall: 149
(1) Use the authority provided [to the person] under the contract, or 150
any confidential information acquired in the performance of the 151
contract, to obtain financial gain for the [person] consultant or 152
independent contractor, an employee of the [person] consultant or 153
independent contractor or a member of the immediate family of any 154
such [person] consultant, independent contractor or employee; 155
(2) Accept another state contract which would impair the 156
independent judgment of the [person] consultant, independent 157
contractor or employee in the performance of the existing contract; or 158
(3) Accept anything of value based on an understanding that the 159
actions of the [person] consultant, independent contractor or employee 160
on behalf of the state would be influenced. 161
(b) No person shall give anything of value to a person hired by the 162
state as a consultant or independent contractor or an employee of a 163
consultant or independent contractor based on an understanding that 164
the actions of the consultant, [or] independent contractor or employee 165
on behalf of the state would be influenced. 166
Sec. 12. Subsection (a) of section 10-292 of the general statutes is 167
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 168
1, 2021): 169
(a) Upon receipt by the Commissioner of Administrative Services of 170
the final plans for any phase of a school building project as provided in 171
section 10-291, said commissioner shall promptly review such plans and 172
check them to the extent appropriate for the phase of development or 173 Raised Bill No. 1071
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construction for which final plans have been submitted to determine 174
whether they conform with the requirements of the Fire Safety Code, 175
the Department of Public Health, the life-cycle cost analysis approved 176
by the Commissioner of Administrative Services, the State Building 177
Code and the state and federal standards for design and construction of 178
public buildings to meet the needs of persons with disabilities and the 179
school safety infrastructure criteria, developed by the School Safety 180
Infrastructure Council, pursuant to section 10-292r, and if acceptable a 181
final written approval of such phase shall be sent to the town or regional 182
board of education and the school building committee. No phase of a 183
school building project, subject to the provisions of subsection (c) or (d) 184
of this section, shall go out for bidding purposes prior to such written 185
approval. 186
Sec. 13. Section 22a-263 of the general statutes is repealed and the 187
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2021): 188
The directors of the authority shall meet at least monthly at the call 189
of the chairman and may meet more frequently if necessary and 190
desirable. It shall maintain at all times minutes of its meetings including 191
its considerations, deliberations, decisions and resolutions, which 192
minutes shall be considered public records. It shall maintain all 193
necessary records and data with respect to its operations and shall 194
report quarterly to the Governor and annually to the General Assembly, 195
upon its operations. Such reports shall include but not be limited to a 196
listing of the number and type of waste management service contracts 197
entered into with local government units and persons, and the charges 198
therefor; a listing of the contracts entered into for the services of private 199
industry in the operation of systems and facilities; a map showing the 200
location of all facilities owned or leased by the authority; a schedule of 201
the amounts of waste received and processed in such facilities; a listing 202
of the outstanding issues of notes and bonds of the authority and the 203
payment status thereof; a budget showing the administrative expenses 204
of the authority; a report of revenues of the authority from all sources 205
and of the redistribution of any surplus revenues. The authority shall be 206
subject to audit by the state Auditors of Public Accounts in accordance 207 Raised Bill No. 1071
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with [normal audit practices prescribed for departments, boards, 208
commissions and other agencies of the state] chapter 12 and section 2-209
90, as amended by this act. 210
Sec. 14. Subsection (c) of section 10-357b of the general statutes is 211
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 212
1, 2021): 213
(c) The State Education Resource Center shall be subject to (1) rules, 214
regulations and restrictions on purchasing, procurement, personal 215
service agreements and the disposition of assets generally applicable to 216
Connecticut state agencies, including those contained in titles 4, 4a and 217
4b and section 4e-19, and (2) audit by the Auditors of Public Accounts 218
under chapter 12 and section 2-90, as amended by this act. 219
Sec. 15. Subsection (d) of section 17a-10c of the general statutes is 220
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 221
1, 2021): 222
(d) On and after January 1, 2020, the caseworker of any child placed 223
in an out-of-home placement by the Commissioner of Children and 224
Families pursuant to an order of temporary custody or commitment 225
shall meet in private with the child annually and any time the child is 226
placed in a new out-of-home placement, provided the child is of an 227
appropriate age. At such meeting, the caseworker shall, if applicable 228
and appropriate: (1) Provide the child with a copy of the Sibling Bill of 229
Rights, (2) review the Sibling Bill of Rights with the child, and (3) explain 230
to the child that the child may contact the caseworker, the child's 231
attorney, the Department of Children and Families regional office, the 232
Office of Community Relations within the Department of Children and 233
Families [Office of the Ombudsman] or the Office of the Child Advocate 234
if the child feels that his or her rights under the Sibling Bill of Rights 235
have been violated, and provide the child with contact information for 236
such caseworker, such regional office, the Office of Community 237
Relations within the Department of Children and Families [Office of the 238
Ombudsman] and the Office of the Child Advocate. The caseworker 239 Raised Bill No. 1071
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shall certify to the commissioner on a form prescribed by the 240
commissioner that such caseworker has complied with the provisions of 241
this subsection. Such form shall include (A) an acknowledgment, for 242
signature by the child, if appropriate, that such caseworker provided a 243
copy of the Sibling Bill of Rights to the child and reviewed the Sibling 244
Bill of Rights with the child, and (B) notice that, if the child refuses to 245
sign such acknowledgment, such caseworker shall indicate on the form 246
that the child refused to sign such acknowledgment. 247
Sec. 16. Subsection (d) of section 17a-10e of the general statutes is 248
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 249
1, 2021): 250
(d) The caseworker of any child placed in an out-of-home placement 251
by the Commissioner of Children and Families pursuant to an order of 252
temporary custody or commitment shall meet in private with the child 253
annually and any time the child is placed in a new out-of-home 254
placement, provided the child is of an appropriate age. At such meeting, 255
the caseworker shall: (1) Provide the child with a copy of the Children 256
in Care Bill of Rights and Expectations, (2) review the Children in Care 257
Bill of Rights and Expectations with the child, (3) explain to the child 258
that the child may contact the caseworker, the child's attorney, the 259
Department of Children and Families regional office, the Office of 260
Community Relations within the Department of Children and Families 261
[Office of the Ombudsman] or the Office of the Child Advocate if the 262
child feels that his or her rights have been violated or expectations have 263
not been met under the Children in Care Bill of Rights and Expectations, 264
and provide the child with contact information for such caseworker, 265
such regional office, the Office of Community Relations within the 266
Department of Children and Families [Office of the Ombudsman] and 267
the Office of the Child Advocate, and (4) explain to the child that if the 268
child is in physical danger or experiences a medical emergency, the child 269
may dial or send a text message to 9-1-1. The caseworker shall certify to 270
the commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner that such 271
caseworker has complied with the provisions of this subsection. Such 272
form shall include (A) an acknowledgment, for signature by the child, if 273 Raised Bill No. 1071
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appropriate, that such caseworker provided a copy of the Children in 274
Care Bill of Rights and Expectations to the child and reviewed the 275
Children in Care Bill of Rights and Expectations with the child, and (B) 276
notice that, if the child refuses to sign such acknowledgment, such 277
caseworker shall indicate on the form that the child refused to sign such 278
acknowledgment. 279
Sec. 17. Section 2-90b of the general statutes is repealed. (Effective 280
October 1, 2021) 281
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 October 1, 2021 2-90(g)
Sec. 2 October 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 3 October 1, 2021 2-90(c)
Sec. 4 October 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 5 October 1, 2021 10-91g(a)
Sec. 6 October 1, 2021 31-426
Sec. 7 July 1, 2021 4b-21(e)
Sec. 8 October 1, 2021 8-260
Sec. 9 October 1, 2021 15-120kk
Sec. 10 October 1, 2021 32-42
Sec. 11 October 1, 2021 1-86e
Sec. 12 October 1, 2021 10-292(a)
Sec. 13 October 1, 2021 22a-263
Sec. 14 October 1, 2021 10-357b(c)
Sec. 15 October 1, 2021 17a-10c(d)
Sec. 16 October 1, 2021 17a-10e(d)
Sec. 17 October 1, 2021 Repealer section
Statement of Purpose:
To implement the recommendations of the Auditors of Public Accounts
contained in their 2020 annual report.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]